The present invention relates to cow-restraining devices, and in particular, to the construction and arrangement of such devices in a cow-milking parlor.
Cow-milking parlors in which rows of cows are confined for milking are known in the prior art. Generally, such parlors include an elongate pit, and a plurality of head locks for confining a plurality of cows--one in each head lock--in a row. Typically, the head locks are arranged, with respect to the pit, so that the lock-restrained cows are positioned substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the pit, with the rear portions of the cows facing the pit. Often, during a milking operation, the cows tend to become restless, and in this just-described position, they tend to shift about on their rear legs. This creates obvious problems for the person in the pit attempting to milk the cows.
A common type of head lock used in the above-described milking parlor includes a pair of neck-engaging members, each of which is relatively shiftable, toward and away from one another, between releasing and restraining positions. The mechanism by which the positions of the two bars of a head lock are coordinately controlled, particularly in a cow milking station, where it is desired to control plural head locks in unison, is necessarily somewhat complex.
One important object of the present invention is to provide a milking parlor in which a row of cows can be restrained at an oblique angle with respect to an elongate pit, wherein shifting of the cows during milking is substantially prevented.
Still another object of the invention is to provide, for use in a milking parlor, a novel restraining device or head lock which can be operated between confining and releasing positions by movement of a single bar.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide, in a milking parlor, a plurality of such head locks which can be operated, in unison, by movement of a single gang rod.
The present invention in a cow-milking parlor includes an elongate pit, and plurality of head locks which are arranged in a row paralleling the pit's long axis. The head locks are oriented to position the cows, when the same are restrained thereby, at an oblique angle with respect to the pit axis. An elevated bar, extending along the side of the pit, further serves to restrain the cows at such an angle.
Each of the head locks includes an upright, fixed-position bar, and an upright locking bar, a portion of which is shiftable, relative to the fixed-position bar, toward and away from a restraining position, wherein a cow's head is locked between the two bars. The locking bars in a row of head locks are connected to a common gang rod, for coordinate movement therewith, under the operation of a powered ram.